


Lost and Found

by marytalouise



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, kid!petra
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-03
Updated: 2013-09-03
Packaged: 2017-12-25 12:08:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/952909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marytalouise/pseuds/marytalouise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi has been granted custody of four-year old Petra, and one day at the store Levi loses sight of his adopted daughter. He sees Eren with his daughter and immediately jumps to the worst conclusion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lost and Found

It had been six months since Levi’s best friend, Erwin, and his wife, Hanji, had passed away. They had been caught in a huge storm, but had tried to rush home to their daughter, Petra. The breaks had suddenly gone out, and for whatever reason, they had listed Levi as the new guardian of Petra.

Levi was jolted back to reality as little footsteps sounded throughout his small apartment. A sleepy-eyed Petra blinked up at Levi slowly. Levi felt a stab of pain in his chest, because the small girl reminded him of his parents. She had gotten her father’s blonde hair, and her mother’s warm brown eyes. Her personality already reflected the calm one of her father’s, but when she got excited, the Hanji in her shone through. She was only four years old, and Levi had no idea how to handle her.

“I’m hungry,” she mumbled.

“Okay, let’s look for something to eat.” Levi rummaged through the cupboards, looking for something that would satisfy a four-year old. Eventually, he settled on giving her the last of the cheerios.

“When you’re done with that, take a shower and get ready. We need to go shopping.”

Petra nodded her small head, and Levi headed to the bathroom to take his shower first.

~

Later that afternoon, Levi was wondering down the cereal aisle, and chatting idly to Petra.

“Petra, which one do you want?” Levi asked.

After a few moments of silence, Levi reiterated the question, browsing the different brands. Again, no answer.

Levi huffed and turned to ask her directly when he paled. He was alone in the aisle.

His heart started to beat faster, as he pushed his cart out of the aisle and began looking for the small girl.

He rushed past the aisles he’d been down just minutes before, before spotting a little blonde head in the open bakery section.

Relief flooded through his veins until he noticed she wasn’t alone. Kneeling so that the adult was her height, was a brown-haired man, with tan skin and eyes that reminded Levi of the ocean.

He saw Petra giggle and that sparked Levi into action.

“Petra!” Levi called out.

Petra’s head snapped around as Levi stood a few feet from the girl and stranger.

“Get away from my kid,” Levi growled.

The man across from him blinked, and Petra jumped into Levi’s arms. Although she was heavy, Levi hoisted her up to rest comfortably on his hip.

The stranger held up his hands in a form of surrender. “I’m sorry, she was lost and I was trying to help her. Is she yours?” The man smiled softly, and Levi felt his breath hitch. He didn’t know a smile could be filled with so much warmth. “She’s adorable,” he murmured.

Levi swallowed thickly, snapping out of his little funk. “Thank you,” he nodded curtly.

“Well, I’ve got to get going. Bye Petra, don’t wander off again!” The strangers face split into a grin, and he waved, turning to continue his shopping.

Levi glanced down, and Petra’s face was lit up. She waved enthusiastically, calling out, “Bye, Eren!” in that childish voice of hers. Levi felt a stab of jealousy. Eren, assuming his adopted daughter was right, had gotten her to laugh and smile in five minutes whereas he himself had barely gotten her to smile in six months.

Levi ignored the direction his thoughts were heading, it’s not like he would be seeing Eren anymore, and quickly finished the shopping.

~

About a week later, they bumped into each other while browsing for cereal in the same store.

Eren’s face lit up in that same grin as he spotted Petra behind Levi. Petra ran out from behind him and started chatting excitedly with Eren. Levi had never been reminded as much of Hanji as he was then. Eren knelt, eye-level with Petra and engaged in a seemingly serious conversation with the four year old, but from what Levi could hear was really something silly, like a toy that she saw yesterday.

Levi cleared his throat and Eren glanced up, eyes shining.

“Ah, sorry. I never got a chance to introduce myself last time, did I?” He rubbed the back of his neck, a gesture that seemed to hint at embarrassment. His eyes widened in surprise as he glanced down at his free hand, which had been grabbed by Petra’s small one. He smiled down affectionately at the girl before glancing back to Levi, who was staring daggers at Eren.

Eren gulped before continuing. “Anyway, my name is Eren Jaeger. It’s nice to meet you.” He held out his hand that was unattached with Petra’s, but Levi just stared.

“Ooookay, I think it’s time for me to go.” He laughed as Petra’s face took on an adorably pouty expression. “You have to go back with your dad.”

Levi flinched at the use of the word “dad,” but he felt some of his jealousy ebb away as Petra skipped to his side without complaint, waving at Eren as he took off.

~

Levi was frustrated. Petra’s birthday was tomorrow, and she kept insisting that Eren come to help celebrate. They had continued to run into each other multiple times since their first meeting several months ago, and Eren had eventually become a play-date of sorts to Petra.

Eren stopped by Levi’s house at least twice a week, once to exclusively see and play with Petra, and once to mix playtime with Petra with adult time with Levi. More often than not though, Eren visited most days.

Levi hated to admit it, but Eren had grown on him. He was amazing with Petra, and Levi suspected that Petra’s new attitude towards him had something to do with Eren’s influence. They got along extremely well now, and Levi even managed to get Petra to laugh every once in a while. Not nearly as much as Eren was able, but it was enough for Levi.

Levi had also started to notice just how good-looking Eren was. He was able to keep those kinds of thoughts at bay during the first few weeks of their acquaintance, but it became progressively harder as time wore on.

Levi sighed, and finally gave into Petra’s demands, calling Eren on his cell phone.

Eren picked up on the third ring. “Hello?”

Levi tried not to think too hard about how deep Eren’s voice was on the phone. “Hi, it’s Levi. Listen, Petra’s birthday is tomorrow and she wants you to come to dinner to help us celebrate.”

On the other end of the line, Eren chuckled. “I was going to stop by at some point anyways, Petra had told me it was her birthday and I got her a present. Dinner sounds great though, what time should I be over?”

“Five-thirty seems fine.”

“Okay, I’ll see you guys then.”

Levi hung up without saying goodbye and started cleaning to calm his nerves.

~

Eren was sitting on the couch in Levi’s living room, glass of wine in his hand and a sleeping Petra in his lap. Levi marveled at how well they got along, but Levi celebrated the small victory that Petra had already fallen asleep on him multiple times.

Levi whispered, “I should probably put her to bed.” He started to get up, but Eren lifted up a hand, then set his glass down and lifted Petra up so gently that she didn’t even stir.

Levi listened to his soft footsteps as he put Petra in bed, and then as he walked back into the living room. They sipped their drinks in silence, until Eren’s voice interrupted the quiet.

“Can I ask you something?” Eren whispered softly.

Levi nodded, unsure of why they were whispering but unwilling to be loud himself.

“Petra said something odd yesterday, and I was wondering what it meant. She said that you weren’t her real dad, but that you were her dad.”

Levi sighed, gathering his thoughts and emotions before telling Eren how he had gotten custody of Petra.

Eren’s eyes were wide. “Amazing.”

Levi glanced up at him, admiring the way he looked in the soft lighting. “What is?”

Eren shook his head. “Not what, who. And you are. You’re doing such a great job, she’s such a good kid.”

Levi leaned up against the back of the couch, still gazing at Eren. “I don’t know that I’m the cause of it, but thank you. I have no idea what I’m doing, and, quite honestly, your presence has been a huge help.”

Eren blushed, waving away the words of praise. “No, I’ve watched you with her, you have been, and are going to be, a great dad.”

Eren smiled that soft smile again, the one Levi had only seen the first time they’d met, and without thinking he leaned in to kiss that smile. It was sweet, just a soft push of lips, and when Levi leaned back he saw Eren’s blush had deepened.

Levi looked away awkwardly. “I’m sorry, I-“

His voice was cut off by Eren’s lips, just as gentle as his had been. Eren leaned back and smiled shyly.

“I’ve actually had some feelings for you for a while now…” his voice trailed off uncertainly.

When Levi was about to reply, Petra stumbled into the living room. “I had a bad dream.”

Levi was shocked when the small five year old settled in his lap rather than Eren’s. The two adults were quiet as her breathing evened out and she drifted back into sleep.

Eren stood up quietly, and Levi glanced at him questioningly.

“I think I should get going, it’s pretty late,” he whispered softly. As he passed in front of Levi to get to his things, Levi reached out, grabbing Eren’s wrist.

“Stay,” he whispered. “I’m going grocery shopping, and I could use your help keeping an eye on Petra.”

Eren’s eyes widened, surprised, before he grinned, leaning down to place a soft kiss on Levi’s lips, using his mouth to answer, instead of words.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to kyrandis on tumblr because this was based of their prompt.
> 
> I enjoyed writing this one-shot, and I would love feedback, whether through a comment on here, or a message on my tumblr (bakageta-ai).
> 
> I hope you enjoyed, and thank you for reading!


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